Marina Go

Marina Go is GM of Hearst-Bauer, publisher of Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Cosmopolitan. She is also chair of the Wests Tigers, a director of Odyssey House McGrath Foundation and a member of the advisory boards of the Walkley Foundation, The Remarkables Group and Women's Agenda. She has an MBA from The AGSM and is a member of the AICD.

Anyone who reads The Daily Juggle regularly will know that I have a weakness for beautiful shoes. On most occasions my high heels have helped me rise to new heights. And certainly they have helped me to celebrate those heights. Yesterday they were the cause of my downfall...literally. As I write this I am lying on my sofa with an ice pack on my right ankle and a bandage on my left knee.

I was running late for a lunch appointment so I power walked to the restaurant in a pair of my highest heels. I was wearing those particular heels because I was needing to go from the office to an evening event without the luxury of time to zip home for a quick change of dress or shoes in between.

Just before I reached the entrance to the restaurant my heel caught an uneven paver, twisted my ankle and lurched me forward onto my left knee. For a minute I stayed there stunned. As I tried to lift, I realised my right ankle wouldn't be able to take its share of my weight.

My lunch date came running to help and I hobbled alongside her to our table. I didn't, however, remove my shoes. Instead I sat there with my injuries hidden under the table and got on with my lunch. I even then hobbled on to an important meeting after that.

An hour later I could persevere no more. I was due at my first meeting for the Sydney Symphony Vanguard Collective committee, followed by a celebratory dinner, but I had to raise the white flag. Both legs were throbbing, my ankle had doubled in size and was turning a nasty shade of blue. I had to admit that in this instance there was no way that the show could go on.

My next challenge was to drive home with my swollen right ankle controlling the accelerator pedal. I still hadn't removed my shoes. Any woman who has given birth will have a high pain threshold and I'm convinced it's how I got myself home in that condition. I got lots of weird looks as I dragged my right leg along the road on my way to the carpark but most people probably assumed I was just another woman finding it tough to walk in high heels. If only they knew that I can usually run in them.

When my car was finally inside my garage I removed my heels. The searing pain confirmed to me that I made the right decision in keeping it together with heels until then. Perhaps due to the fact that I wear heels more than not, I get sore legs from walking in flats for extended periods of time. So the next few days should be a challenge for me and my choice of footwear.

I am desperate to heal as soon as possible, due to the fun weekend ahead of me. More about that tomorrow...

Join the conversation:

WOMEN'S AGENDA is the digital destination for career-minded women, where women (and men) help women achieve. We support women in business, women on boards, women in media, women in leadership and all aspirational women in the workplace.